Content is the fuel of the social web

In June 2010, Nielsen and AOL began studying the factors that influence consumers’ choice of content. Among their findings, Nielsen and AOL determined that users spend over half their time online consuming content. Social media and email were the next largest categories of consumption. This prompted the question: How much of a user’s communications also involve content?

Some highlights from this study:

• Content is the fuel of social interaction and connection across the web –  23% of conversations include links  to content.
• Content sharing is important across social media platforms – email is the preferred mode of sharing for 66% of users.
• Share everywhere – For people using a social network, 99% of them use multiple platforms for sharing content.
• Email, the new social networking platform – 66% of the population use email as the primary method for sharing content.
• Content sharing is an authentic activity among consumers that connects their peer network to brands – Friends and family are the most commonly shared with group.

Marketing Opportunities:

• A Pass-Along Strategy (e.g., branded entertainment) ensures that the brand’s message travels with the content being shared. This strategy is optimal for embedded media, such as images or video.
• A Link-Back Strategy (e.g., content advertising) ensures that a brand is “there” when consumers come back to the source  of content.

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